Carton



June 28, 1949. g, GLUCK 2,474,783

CARTON Filed April 8,1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n ,ao K I I I \//a l I 5 I .,1'

r INVENTOR. I I FRED 0. G1. UCK

A TTORNE Y5 June 28, 1949. F. 'c. GLUCKHV 2,474,733

' cmwon I Filed April a, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

FRED c. GLUC/f BY /a.-

PM ne ,1949

S PATENT lorries CARTON Fred C. Glneh, Minerva, Ohio, allignor to Minerva Wax Paper ompany,'Miner-va ration of Ohio Ohio, a cano Application April 8, 1m, Serial No. cases" This invention relates to dispensing cartons for sheet material such as wax paper in roll form and more particularly to improvements in locking mechanism for releasably securing the carton and itscover in closed position. i t

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a locking mechanism for a dispensing carton that will be secure in its locking function, easily operated and easily disposed of, and which withal will be neat if not concealed from view wherewith to enhance the appearance of the carton. Another object is to provide a concealed locking device that will secure the cover of a wax paper dispensing carton in closed position during shipping and handling; that can be readily unlocked" when it is desired to, dispense the contents of the carton, and which upon being unlocked will facilitate the dispensing of the concorms. (cues-s) environment of a dispensing carton preferably made of a single sheet of board material which as viewed in Figure 1 comprises front wall I,

bottom wall 2, back wall 3, top or cover wall- 4 and cover flap *5 and'which in sheet form are preferably separated by creased folding lines l1-l4. Preferably and notunconventionally I prefer that the front, bottom and back walls have integral and forming tabs 6,.1 and 8 extending therefrom and foldable along crease lines o wherewith the carton upon being folded to its box-like form will have the end tabs 6, land I overlapping so that they may be secured together to form a composite end wall Eand give the carton its box-like form. Preferably the end tabs I may have extensions 9 that may be folded to be disposed horizontally, see Fig. 5, to overlie the respective ends of the roll R of sheet material to be contained within the carton and dispensed therefrom. The tab 8 in its horizontal posltion Preferably a metallic cutter or blade B is Other objects will appear from the following description of a preferred form of my invention referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view exposing the inner surface of the board stock from which a carton embodying my invention maybe formed;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the carton in its locked condition; Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view in the same plane as Figure 3 but showing the cartonin a position preliminary to locking down the cover; Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the carton with it cover open after removal of the lock or "unlocking" thereof; Figure 6 is a section in the same plane as Figure 3 showing the carton in its operative unlocked condition; Figure 7 is a section along the line 1-4 of Figure 3; Figure 8 is of Figure 3 showing another modified form of my invention. Y

The locking mechanism of myinvention is illustrated herein in combination with and in the serves to enhance the appearance of the end of vthe carton and resists the depression of the ends of the cover wall 4 below the upper edges'of the end walls.

secured along the upper edge of the front wall I exteriorly thereof and projectin a little above the upper edge of that wall wherewith the sheet 'material S being drawn thereacross, Fig. 6, may be severed from the web of the roll. I also prefer that the front wall I be somewhat more narrow than the rear'wall 3 whereby the upper edge of the front wall and the upper edge of the cutter B will stand materially lower than the height of the end wall and materially below the plane of the top cover wall I so that if the carton were to rest upside down upon the surface of a shelf or table the sharp upper edge of the cutter will be spaced away from such surface. For this purpose the upper edge of the front wall is as a whole notched inwardly as at It with relation to the edge ll of the tab 6 which forms the upper edge of the end wall E. Preferably also the cutter blade B is a little shorter than the whole length of the front wall terminating adjacent the notch lll so that the end of the cutter is spaceda little inwardly of the end of the carton and preserved against contact with a surface upon which the end of the box might rest or contact. Similarly the extreme end and sharp corners at the ends of the blade B willbe displaced from that extreme position where they might tend to cut or scratch the same amount that it exceeds the length of the blade, an ample cutting edge is retained- Medially disposed adjacent the fold line It where the top wall 4 and the cover flap 5 are hingedly joined I provide a removable more or less oval shaped section l3 defined within the perforate oval outline M. This section upon removal at a time hereinafter more fully discussed affords a convenient thumb or flnger hole l5, see Figs. 5 and 6, through which the web of the roll R of sheet material may be conveniently grasped and withdrawn. As best shown in Figure 1 I form an open slot l1 preferably extending the full width of the removable section l3, theslot itself, having a width substantially equal to the thickness of the board stock from which the carton is formed. I'also prefer to form a cut slit l8 directly along the line i of the crease between the cover 4 and the cutter flap 5. It will be noted that the slot i1 is spaced away from the above mentioned crease line l4 substantially the same distance that the front wall I is cut down from the full height of the carton. The slot H as will more fully appear receives a locking tab or latch 20 which is formed integrally with the top edge of the front wall I and removably joined thereto at a line of perforation 2!, along which it may be folded inwardly of the front wall as shown in Fig. 4. The perforation 2| facilitates removal of the latch 20 when its service is no longer required.

The latch 20 may take diflerent forms and sizes, but it is to be observed that its length a, Fig. 1, may be quite'limited, i. e. from about to in a carton being about 2" square as viewed in Fig. 3,-since the work of the lock, once it is secured, is confined largely to that part of the tab 20 immediately adjacent the perforate fold line 2i, see Fig. 3. The maximum width b of the locking tab 20 preferably exceeds the length or'corresponding dimension of the slot I1, and the tab 20 is undercut as at'22 so that the points of extreme width 23 after being forced through the slot I! will overlie the ends of the slot and resist withdrawal of the tab 20 back through the slot. Preferablythe front or entering edge 24 of the tab is rounded. or tapered adjacent the end points 23' wherewit'n tofacilitate forcible entry of the tab into the slot to its locking position. It will also be noted that the under-'- cut edges 22 lie at acute angles to the adjacent edge of the front'wall when the tab is in locking position, Figs. 3 and 7, thereby tending to hold the cover flap 5 snugly adjacent the inner face of the front wall I in the locked position. In the same way the strain imposed on the tab resisting either upward or downward movement of the cover flap 5 is'largely measured in shear immediately adjacent its juncture with the top of the front wall.

As shown'in Figure 1 the length a of the latch 20 does not greatly exceed the depth to which the top edge of the front wall is lowered below the edge ll. stock for the latch lies' within the marginal confines of the blank as delineated by the lines II. So much of the latch as protrudes beyond the lines I I may be taken from the stock of the cover flap 5 of the adjacent sheet of stock as at 20K; stock being available here up to a limited distance from the slot l1, since it is ultimately desired to have the thumb-hole I! opened in this part of the carton and but a limited width of stock below the slot is sufficient to resist inadvertent forces tending to open the carton.

lifter the stock is cut and creased and after the Therefore much, if not all, the

blade B is secured as shown in Figure 1, the carton is then formed to the extent of folding the front, bottom and back walls and securing the ,end tabs to form the end walls E but leaving the cover open to permit the insertion of the contents. With the carton formed and the contents contained, Fig. 4, the cover with its flap 5 sprung back. to an acute angle is lowered so that the slot ll approaches the latch 20; the end of the latter approaching or contacting the flap 5 and the lower part of the section ill. The lower edge of the flap 5 tends to contact the roll R and this contact taken with the resilient tendency of the flap 5 to swing counter-clockwise relative to the cover I resiliently forces the flap and the stock adjacent the slot l1 toward the end of the latch 20. During the downward progress of the flap from the position of Fig. 4, the upper edge of the front wall I may yield or bow outwardly to accommodate the movement of the flap whilst the latch lies or is held by the thumb of the operator in about the position shown in Fig, 4. When the slot gets down to proximity with the end of the latch, the latter tends strongly to enter the slot and as it enters the slot continued lowering of the flap accompanied by leftward pressure, as viewed in Fig. 4, upon the blade B adjacent the root of the latch forces the latch home in the slot as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. It is to be noted that during this locking action the motion of the parts as influenced by manual downward pressure on the cover above the slot l1, manual leftward pressure on the root of the latch, and the resistive contact of the lower edge of the flap with the roll gives a toggle like action and mechanical advantage that effects the forcible entry of the points 23 into and through the slot and influences a "snap return of those points to a greater dimension than the length of the slot when the latch is "home as viewed in Fig. 7.

In its locked position, Fig. 3, the cover of the carton and its flap 5 is held in substantially immovable relation to the front wall i, the flap is supported against downward movement into as well as-upward movement out of the body of the carton. I prefer that the blade'B be curved a little transversely whereby to stiffen and strengthen the front wall and its upper edgeto more firmly support the root of the-latchv and section l3 the slit I8 is provided into which a thumb nail may be inserted to initiate tearing the section l3 along the line of perforations l4. Preferably"that portion of the section l3 that lies above the slot IT is first removed whereupon the latch is released or exposed. Then the latch may be torn off along the perforationsIi, thereby exposing the adjacent edge of the blade B, Fig. 6. Opening of the cover, Fig. 5, will expose the lower part of the section I 3 for its easy removal, and the carton is then fully unlocked, and the thumb hole i5 fully developed for its intended purpose. With the cover open an initial length of the web of the As suggested above the latch may take different forms. A modified form is shown in Fig. 8,

wherein the latch 30 has serrated edges 3|, preferably tapering slightly from maximum spacing adjacent the rounded front edge 32 to a somewhat lesser spacing adjacent the root of the latch as at 33. With this form of latch I prefer that the slot 35, Fig. 9, being similarly disposed in the removable section 13a, differ from the slot l1 in having short tangs 38 formed between short parallel slits at its ends. Tangs 36 have their roots integral with the stock of thecover flap and are yieldably deflectable inwardly when the latch forcibly enters the slot. The latch being wider than the space between the proximate free ends of the tangs deflects the tang's as it enters the slot and the resiliency of the tangs causes their deflected end corners to bite into the serrated edges of the latch and hold it in its innermost position as'the latch 20 is held in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 7.v

Locking and unlocking this form of lock may proceed substantially the same as in the preferred form described above.

In both forms cartons containing my invention are characterized by a noticeably clean appearance, Fig. 2, especially in their locked condition wherein they are customarily displayed for sale. Since the whole locking mechanism is concealed, all the exterior surfaces of the carton are available for decorative treatment, theappearance of which will not be marred by unlocking and not changed except by the removal of the thumb hole section It. a

While I prefer that the blade B be located preferably made a little longer in its shank portion and the line of perforation 2| will stand below and outside the upper edge of the blade as shown in Fig. 10.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred and certain modified form of my invention, changes and improvements therein will occur to others and to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and substance thereof,

7 6 I claim: 1. A carton for dispensing rolled sheet material formed from a single sheet comprising end, front,

and I do not care to be limited in the scopeof my patent to the forms herein specifically illustrated and described or in any manner other than by the claims appended hereto.

bottom, back and top cover walls with a flap hingedly secured to said top cover wall and adapted to lie interiorly of said front wall when the carton is closed without engaging the bottom wall, said front wall having its top edge lower than the height of the end walls and lying between the upper and lower edges of said flap when the cover is closed, a cutter blade secured to said front wall adjacent its top edge and overlying said edge and terminating short of said end walls, a locking tab removably secured to the top edge of said front Wall behind said blade, said flap having a slot at substantially the level of said edge for receiving said, tab, said slot being shorter than the maximum width of said tab but not substantially wider than the thickness of said tab.

2. A carton having a cover with a flap having a slot, a front wall with its upper edge juxtaposed to said flap adjacent said slot, and a locking tab extending beyond the said upper edge of said front wall and adapted to enter said slot, said cover and flap having a section lying in part in said cover and in part in said flap outlined by perforations to facilitate its removal, said section embracing said slot in the portion thereof lying in said flap and said section being slitted along the line of juncture of said cover and said flap.

3. A carton having a cover with a flap hinged to said cover and having a slot spaced from said hinge, a front wall with its upper edge juxtaposed to said flap adjacent said slot, and a locking tab.

hinged to said front wall at said upper edge and having a free length extending beyond the said upper edge of said front wall, substantially the whole of said free length being adapted to enter REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ,of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'E'NTS Number Name Date 289,790 Wilcox Dec. 4, 1883 1,277,459 Myers Sept. 3, 1918 1,827,029 Marcalus Oct. 13,- 1931 2,316,469 Thor Apr. 13, 1943 2,331,754 Wohlera Oct. 12, 1943 

